There's no right or wrong answer, but I'd choose sweet basil. I might even add mint to approximate the Thai basil's sharper flavor. But Cooks llustrated says no, don't use sweet basil at all, instead use a combination of mint and cilantro. Now I know that combination's good in it's own right, but as a substitute for basil and to reject sweet basil altogether? Is there anyone else who find Cook's suggestion surprising?

Last edited by Jenise on Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

I wonder if a lemon basil would work? I do love the taste of Thai Basil and grew it in my garden for the first time this year. All the basils are very easy to grow. Most of the Farmer's Markets I've been to, have an Asian family with a booth, and they generally all have the basil, lemon grass, cilantro, among other wonderful things I used to never see.

I force myself to use other herbs in recipes when I do not have what is requested. Seems to work fine with either/or, and sometimes we are very surprised!

I'm unfamiliar with the flavor of lemon basil, Karen. Never had it. But if it's as different from regular sweet as lemon thyme is from English, then we're talking about the same kind of difference. Better a different basil than no basil at all? Instinctively, I say yes. Easy to grow? Everybody makes it sound so but the one time I tried--no success. Can't recall what went wrong but I feel like it must be the hardest, and I've not tried again. Prolly stupid, huh.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

I'm unfamiliar with the flavor of lemon basil, Karen. Never had it. But if it's as different from regular sweet as lemon thyme is from English, then we're talking about the same kind of difference. Better a different basil than no basil at all? Instinctively, I say yes. Easy to grow? Everybody makes it sound so but the one time I tried--no success. Can't recall what went wrong but I feel like it must be the hardest, and I've not tried again. Prolly stupid, huh.

Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow, sort of like thyme, rosemary, etc.
Except in our area it is an annual because of our winters. Basil loves to be in the ground and outside. No fertilizer, just water and lots of sunshine.
Do other s grow it in your area?

Karen, I don't know if others grow it or not. I'm rather unusual in my area in that I cook at all. I can only think of one other person in my neighborhood who has an herb garden. I really should try to grow basil, I have what should be the perfect circumstances for it. Like you, it probably won't make it as an annual here, but I don't mind replanting.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

There's no right or wrong answer, but I'd choose sweet basil. I might even add mint to approximate the Thai basil's sharper flavor. But Cooks llustrated says no, don't use sweet basil at all, instead use a combination of mint and cilantro. Now I know that combination's good in it's own right, but as a substitute for basil and to reject sweet basil altogether? Is there anyone else who find Cook's suggestion surprising?

I'm with you, Jenise. The Thais use several different varieties of basil in their cooking. The two most common seem to be bai horapa (what's usually called "Thai basil" in English) and bai gaprao ("holy basil"). When I can't get either of them, I usually use sweet basil. But I have one dish (Mahogany Fire Noodles) where the Thai cookbook suggests using either bai gaprao or mint. Since fresh bai grapao is impossible to find unless you grow it yourself, I have usually substituded bai horapa for it in this dish. I've also used mint, and find that mint offsets the hotness of the bird chiles very nicely. So I guess which substitute to use varies depending on the dish.

Skye--we have a short season, that's for sure, but it's warm enough to grow tomatoes and jalapenos, and reports are that basil does well. I have a raised bed garden in a protected courtyard--it should do fine there.

Paul--it's settled then: the forum's right, and they're nuts. It's one of the strange things about this magazine, they seem to take a rather naive, or should I say provincial, approach to ethnic foods.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Just this evening I made a Thai red curry with chicken, with red bell peppers, several fresh Thai red bird chiles, and round purple eggplants I found at the local Indian grocery store. And basil. Sweet Italian basil, since I couldn't get bai horapa. It came out just fine.

Jenise, I've grown basil in my herb garden for years, sometimes as many as 14 varieties. The only thing you need to know about basil is that the first time the temperature gets down to 32° F, the basil turns black and dies instantly.

Thanks Robin. I guess I'll amble on over to Wine and see what's going on there. I don't buy a drop of wine any more other than the yearly shipment from Dave Coffaro. We're going to have to drink pretty fast to finish it all off before we croak.